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Fusible number
Fusible numbersFusible numbers - Jeff EricksonFusible numbers are a well-ordered set of rational numbers that produce the fast-growing fusible margin function. They were first defined Jeff Erickson and further investigated by Junyan Xu. Definition Consider the following classic math puzzle: :You are given two fuses. Each one burns for exactly one minute, but not uniformly, so one cannot predict exactly how much of the fuse will be left after a given amount of time. You are allowed to light one or more unlit ends of any fuse, but only at time \(t = 0\) or when a fuse burns out completely. How do you measure 45 seconds? The solution is to light both ends of one fuse and one end of the other fuse at the same time. When the first fuse burns out completely, 30 seconds have passed — then light the remaining end of the other fuse. Forty-five seconds will have passed when this fuse burns out. We can expand on this problem by attempting to classify all numbers measureable in minutes by any finite number of fuses — call them fusible numbers. Since 45 seconds = 3/4 minutes can be measured, we say that \(3/4\) is fusible. Formally, a real number \(x\) is fusible if and only if \(x = 0\) or \(x = (a + b + 1) / 2\), with \(a\) and \(b\) fusible numbers and \(|a - b| < 1\). Surprisingly, it turns out that the set of all fusible numbers is well-ordered within the real numbers. The order type is known to be at least \(\varepsilon_0\), and this bound is conjectured to be the actual value. Margin function Let \(m(x) = f(x) - x\), where \(f(x)\) is the smallest fusible number greater than \(x\). Erickson conjectured the function to satisfy \(m(x) = -x\) for \(x < 0\) and \(m(x - m(x - 1)) / 2\) otherwise, but Junyan Xu showedSurvey on Fusible Numbers - Junyan Xu that the formula was incorrect, and conjectured an alternative identity: \= \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} -x & \text{if } x < 0 \\ m(x - m(x - 1) - 1/a + 2^{\lceil \log_2 m(x - 1) \rceil}) / 2 & \text{otherwise} \end{array} \right.\ where \(a\) is the denominator of \(f(x - 1) = m(x - 1) + x - 1\). It is known that this value is an unconditional upper bound.Personal communication. This is only a conjecture, and currently no closed-form formula for \(m(x)\) is known with certainty. A few values of \(m(x)\) for integer \(x\) are \(m(0) = 2^{-1}\), \(m(1) = 2^{-3}\), \(m(2) = 2^{-10}\). It is also known that \(m(3)<2^{-2\uparrow^{9}16}\). The function \(m_1(x) = -\log_2 m(x)\) is an extremely fast-growing function; the value for \(x = 4\) may well be greater than Graham's number. Little is known about \(m_1(x)\) or its growth rate, aside from the very weak statement that it is provably recursive in ZFC. m(1) For simplicity, we only show here that \(m(1)\leq \frac{1}{8}\) *At t=0, light first both ends of first fuse and one end of second fuse. *At t=0.5, whole first fuse and half of the second will be burnt out. We light other end of the second fuse and one end of yet another fuse. *At t=0.75, second fuse will be completely burnt out. Right now we light the other end of third fuse 3, three quarters of which are left. *At t=1.125, third fuse finishes burning. So number \(1.125=\frac{9}{8}\) is fusible, making \(f(1)\leq \frac{9}{8}\) and \(m(1)\leq \frac{1}{8}\). Sources See also ja:可融数 Category:Functions Category:Combinatorics Category:Unsolved problems